Due to its anthelmintic properties, common sainfoin is a natural alternative to drugs to control nematode parasitism in the guts of small ruminants.

This pollination biology leads to certain difficulties in breeding programs resulting in a low number of registered cultivars.

An animal diet containing common sainfoin is able to reduce nematode (e.g. Haemonchus contortus) parasitism in ruminant’s guts.

Due to the high levels of condensed tannins, the fecundity of nematodes and the number of their eggs in the ruminant’s digestive system are reduced.

[5][7][12][22][23][24][25][26] Especially in goat and sheep production systems feeding of O. viciifolia is a promising alternative or complement to synthetic drugs.

[4] Besides these anthelmintic properties diets containing common sainfoin can lead to increasing daily weight gains of small ruminants.

[5][7][9][12][22] To reach high levels of condensed tannins common sainfoin should be sown in pure culture.

[4][5][10][14][15][16][17][27] Frost and drought tolerance of common sainfoin is higher than in other forage legumes such as alfalfa or different clover species.